Read Online Acting Brave (Fenbrook Academy #3) by Helena Newbury - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Helena Newbury
Ads: Link
know!” I looked down at myself. “I have to get in shape.”
“Your shape is fine,” said Nat.
But I shook my head. “I’m meant to be young and fit and fresh out of the academy—I should have abs of steel.” I poked my stomach. “I’m more...marshmallow.”
“You’re curvy. Curvy is good.” Nat looked down at herself. “I wish I had your boobs.”
“You’d overbalance if you had my boobs. You couldn’t pirouette on one toe with these things swinging around like pendulums.”
“If we’re trading bodies,” said Karen, “could I borrow someone’s height?”
We looked back at her. She was doing her best to follow us, but the water was already up to her lower lip.
“Swim!” said Nat.
Karen looked uncertain.
“You’re sure you can swim?” I asked.
“Yes!” said Karen. “I just—I can’t quite remember.” She pushed off from the bottom and launched herself forward, then flailed with her arms and promptly sank. I dragged her up by the shoulder and she took a huge gulp of air.
“Karen, are you sure this is a good idea?” asked Nat, turning over onto her back and drifting alongside.
“Yes! It’ll all come back to me!” And Karen launched herself forward again.
This was getting to be a thing, with Karen. Ever since Connor, she had a new-found confidence that was both adorable and dangerous. She’d come out from beneath my wing, the fact that she was a year older than any of us making her push herself even harder to be independent. Now that she’d graduated, we saw a lot less of her. Between rehearsals with the orchestra and jamming with Connor—trying to come up with a follow-up to their hit track—it seemed as if she was barely there. It was as if she was growing up in fast forward and, after all those years spent living under the thumb of her father, I could totally understand it. But I couldn’t help feeling a little sad about it, as well. I’d liked having her under my wing. I missed her being there.
Clarissa swam past us, did some sort of underwater one-eighty, and then cruised alongside. “What’s that?” she asked.
Karen was now managing to stay on the surface by doing something that was a little like doggy paddle and a little like a paddle steamer. Her kicking was splashing people several feet away.
“That’s Karen swimming,” I said levelly.
“See?” said Karen, panting. “It’s fine. It’s all fine.” I could tell she was using every ounce of concentration and effort to stay afloat. We formed up alongside her and swum in a line: two lithe water nymphs, a paddle steamer, and a killer whale. That’s how I felt, at least, next to them. But it felt good just to be doing something as a group.
There was another reason I’d organized the trip. We badly needed some Fenbrook Girl time. I was delighted that Nat had found Darrell the previous summer but, ever since she’d moved into the mansion, it felt like she’d withdrawn from the group a little. As if she wanted to keep us at arm’s length for some reason. She seemed happy...maybe that was it, maybe she was too happy with him. Maybe she didn’t need us anymore.
Clarissa had followed, getting into first torrid sex and then something much deeper with her muscled hunk of a biker, Neil, but I knew things weren’t all rosy. Neil would disappear on “business trips” for a few days to a week and, when any of us asked where he’d gone, she’d go very quiet. I was pretty sure she didn’t know herself, and that worried me. They’d been together over a year, now. How could she bear to still not know what he did for money? She hadn’t withdrawn from our little group like Nat had...it was more as if she wasn’t really there in spirit, so preoccupied with Neil’s secrets that she was only going through the motions with us.
Karen, Nat, and Clarissa. All of them just slowly drifting away, too gradually and too subtly to make a big noise about it. I’d look paranoid and childish if I said something. And
“Your shape is fine,” said Nat.
But I shook my head. “I’m meant to be young and fit and fresh out of the academy—I should have abs of steel.” I poked my stomach. “I’m more...marshmallow.”
“You’re curvy. Curvy is good.” Nat looked down at herself. “I wish I had your boobs.”
“You’d overbalance if you had my boobs. You couldn’t pirouette on one toe with these things swinging around like pendulums.”
“If we’re trading bodies,” said Karen, “could I borrow someone’s height?”
We looked back at her. She was doing her best to follow us, but the water was already up to her lower lip.
“Swim!” said Nat.
Karen looked uncertain.
“You’re sure you can swim?” I asked.
“Yes!” said Karen. “I just—I can’t quite remember.” She pushed off from the bottom and launched herself forward, then flailed with her arms and promptly sank. I dragged her up by the shoulder and she took a huge gulp of air.
“Karen, are you sure this is a good idea?” asked Nat, turning over onto her back and drifting alongside.
“Yes! It’ll all come back to me!” And Karen launched herself forward again.
This was getting to be a thing, with Karen. Ever since Connor, she had a new-found confidence that was both adorable and dangerous. She’d come out from beneath my wing, the fact that she was a year older than any of us making her push herself even harder to be independent. Now that she’d graduated, we saw a lot less of her. Between rehearsals with the orchestra and jamming with Connor—trying to come up with a follow-up to their hit track—it seemed as if she was barely there. It was as if she was growing up in fast forward and, after all those years spent living under the thumb of her father, I could totally understand it. But I couldn’t help feeling a little sad about it, as well. I’d liked having her under my wing. I missed her being there.
Clarissa swam past us, did some sort of underwater one-eighty, and then cruised alongside. “What’s that?” she asked.
Karen was now managing to stay on the surface by doing something that was a little like doggy paddle and a little like a paddle steamer. Her kicking was splashing people several feet away.
“That’s Karen swimming,” I said levelly.
“See?” said Karen, panting. “It’s fine. It’s all fine.” I could tell she was using every ounce of concentration and effort to stay afloat. We formed up alongside her and swum in a line: two lithe water nymphs, a paddle steamer, and a killer whale. That’s how I felt, at least, next to them. But it felt good just to be doing something as a group.
There was another reason I’d organized the trip. We badly needed some Fenbrook Girl time. I was delighted that Nat had found Darrell the previous summer but, ever since she’d moved into the mansion, it felt like she’d withdrawn from the group a little. As if she wanted to keep us at arm’s length for some reason. She seemed happy...maybe that was it, maybe she was too happy with him. Maybe she didn’t need us anymore.
Clarissa had followed, getting into first torrid sex and then something much deeper with her muscled hunk of a biker, Neil, but I knew things weren’t all rosy. Neil would disappear on “business trips” for a few days to a week and, when any of us asked where he’d gone, she’d go very quiet. I was pretty sure she didn’t know herself, and that worried me. They’d been together over a year, now. How could she bear to still not know what he did for money? She hadn’t withdrawn from our little group like Nat had...it was more as if she wasn’t really there in spirit, so preoccupied with Neil’s secrets that she was only going through the motions with us.
Karen, Nat, and Clarissa. All of them just slowly drifting away, too gradually and too subtly to make a big noise about it. I’d look paranoid and childish if I said something. And
Similar Books
